Configuring the User: "Robots have Needs Too"

Users have played a prominent role as "objects of study" in HCI, CSCW, and HRI (Human-Robot Interaction). Researchers have begun to problematize the asymmetric relationship between technical experts and users. In this paper, we focus on how roboticists-borrowing a term from Steve Woolgar-"configure" their robot users. Instead of focusing on what roboticists think of their robots or what users think of robots, we ask, "What do roboticists think of users'" Utilizing two exercises we call futuristic stories and value index cards, we conducted semi-structured interviews with roboticists to examine their discourse on robotics, robots, and users. We found that roboticists framed users as inevitably transforming from a naïve user to a sensible user equipped to handle their ideal, utilitarian robot. Our findings illustrate that roboticists and designers need to make transparent what forms of future users they desire and expect in their design processes.

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